Five tips for taking your motorbike abroad from the UK

Climbing onto your motorbike and heading off to a different
country can be an incredibly exciting and liberating experience
but it's important to be well prepared before setting off on
such a journey. It's not as simple as just hopping on your bike
and riding off into the sunset, so do your research before
reaching for your keys. Here are five things to think about
before heading abroad with your bike:

Insurance

Don't assume that your bike insurance policy will cover you
abroad if you're unsure. Always check with your provider
to make sure that you are fully insured to ride within the
EU and, if so, also ask for the protocol to follow should
you be unfortunate enough to have and accident or have your
bike stolen while you're away.

Breakdown cover

Again, your current breakdown cover might not extend to recovery
while abroad, so be sure to check with your provider before setting off.
It's always better to be safe than sorry; being stuck in a different
country unable to get your bike home doesn't sound like much of a holiday.

Check your bike

It's a great idea to have your bike serviced before such a big trip
to ensure that it's running as well as it possibly can, making it
less likely to give you any problems while you're away. Also make
sure that you have sufficient time left on both your MOT and road
tax to cover you through to the end of your trip.

Passport

Keep your passport in a safe location at all times during your
trip; you'll need it to cross borders, and it's also required
at some European campsites or hotels before you receive
entry to your accommodation.

Vehicle Registration Document

Every EU country requires motorbike riders to travel with their
original V5 document as proof that the bike is registered to you.
France takes a particularly hard line on this; police there have
the power to detain anyone who can't prove ownership of their motorbike.

With these simple tips and some general research on riding abroad, you'll
ensure you don't come across any unexpected obstacles during your travels.